With their groundbreaking anthem to gender nonconformity “The Code,” Swiss pop artist Nemo reworked from a lesser-known European artist to a bona fide international star in a matter of weeks.
That’s in no small half due to their participation within the 2024 Eurovision Track Contest, which they received on Might 11, 2024. “I bear in mind being on that couch, listening to the jury votes and simply being in a state of full confusion,” they inform Billboard. “It was unbelievable. And it was actually significant as a result of I really feel like this type of [opportunity] doesn’t actually occur for Switzerland that usually. Now we have such an awesome scene and so many superb artists, so I’m actually pleased that this places a highlight on Swiss music.”
Nemo is raring to share that highlight with the nonbinary neighborhood, each in Switzerland and the world over. “It may be arduous to remain hopeful when dangerous issues preserve taking place to our neighborhood time and again,” they are saying. “However this helps me really feel like there are lastly issues to be hopeful about.”
FOUNDATION
Nemo’s profession began from a spot of sheer curiosity. At age 9, the singer discovered a flyer of their hometown promoting open auditions for a youth opera and joined. After one efficiency of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, they got here to a realization: “I like being on a stage.” Nemo went on to carry out in quite a few operas and even landed a job in a musical in Zurich, all of which helped hone their vocal expertise and educate them on writing lyrics. In 2015, they self-released Clownfisch, an EP of songs written in Swiss German. However quickly after its launch, Nemo realized that writing and performing songs of their native dialect may solely get them thus far. “Swiss German is nice, however it is usually a tiny language,” they are saying. “If I wished to open my taking part in area and collaborate with extra folks, I wanted to start out writing in English.”
DISCOVERY
After a decade spent leaping between boutique indie labels, Nemo determined to submit a track to Eurovision 2024 — however knew they wanted somebody “to direct that water.” They reached out to a number of main labels and located what they have been in search of at Common Music Group. Quickly after, Nemo submitted an unique track, “The Code,” which fittingly interpolates The Magic Flute. The frenetic, operatic monitor received Eurovision’s prime prize by 44 factors over the favourite to win, Croatia’s Child Lasagna. In taking residence the trophy, Nemo turned the primary nonbinary performer to win Eurovision — and has since watched “The Code” change into their first charting hit, climbing to Nos. 21 and 52 on the Billboard World Excl. U.S. and Billboard World 200 charts, respectively. “Leaping into the chilly water that’s Eurovision meant studying how one can swim whereas everybody was watching,” they are saying.
FUTURE
With a lot momentum, Nemo is resolute in taking advantage of their second. Following the “very time-consuming” strategy of curating their Eurovision efficiency, Nemo has now been spending a major period of time within the studio. “The final couple of days, I’ve labored with some superb writers and producers, and we now have so many songs that I need to share,” they are saying, beaming. “Plenty of thrilling issues are lastly taking place.”
A model of this text initially appeared within the June 22, 2024, problem of Billboard.
